Former Staff & Interns

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Ryan Hueffmeier

Postion: Sustainability Education Coordinator

Bio: I’m interested in understanding the components that make up sustainability in a diverse research facility such as the NRRI. For example I’m interested in understanding the processes that lead to behavior change, defining research questions that move a sustainability initiative forward, or building sustainability into the research process itself.

Why sustainability is important: We reside on a spinning rock with finite resources and that aloneshould demand the wise use of those resources. The most compelling reason for me to be a goodsteward though is the next generation. Furthermore, sustainability research by its very nature buildsInterdisciplinary teams that are finding creative ways to utilize and preserve our natural resourceswhile developing an informed citizenry and creating solid economies that ultimately lead to sustainable communities.

Nicholas Olsen (Intern, September 2017 - December 2017)

Position: Sustainability Intern - Waste Reduction and Recycling

Description: I worked to reduce waste through raising awareness for students, staff, and faculty on campus. I led behavior change campaigns to reduce, reuse, and recycle materials properly, both on campus and in the community.

Linda Peterson

Postion: Sustainability Intern - Carbon Accounting

Description: I worked to update the UMD greenhouse gas inventory for 2016, collecting Scope 1 (direct emissions), Scope 2 (purchased energy), and Scope 3 (commuting, landfill waste, air travel, etc.) data, to account for carbon emissions due to the existence of UMD.

Brinda Dewan

Position: Sustainability Education Assistant

Bio: Brinda Dewan is a Graduate student at the Environmental Education Program at UMD. She is an International student from Nepal and loves to explore the outdoors in her free time. She is passionate about helping young children get engaged in environmentally friendly practices and getting close to nature.

Why sustainability is important: Sustainability is important to me, because it is time that we started taking care of our planet before it is too late. As a very famous saying says “We Do Not Inherit the Earth from Our Ancestors; We Borrow It from Our Children”

Project: My role as a member of the UMD Sustainability Office is to plan education and outreach events and campaigns. I also design learning outcomes and educational lessons to engage students both on-campus and in the community around sustainability issues.

Cassandra Ortberg

Position: Sustainability Energy Assistant

Bio: Cassandra is a Junior at UMD and loves loves cooking, country music, traveling to new places and almost any outdoor activities. Duluth has been one of Cassie’s favorite cities since she was a little girl and she is thrilled to be learning more about sustainability in such a beautiful and unique area. She has always been passionate about sustainability and has specific interests in renewable energy.

Why sustainability is important to me: We live on a beautiful planet that has provided us with the resources necessary for life. In return, it is our job not to abuse that gift and to work constructively with the Earth to maintain our delicate ecosystem and the health of both our planet and its people.

What I do: Assist in planning and creating educational materials and events for the UMD campus, specializing in energy progress and issues.

Austin Paul

Professional title: Sustainability Waste and Recycling Assistant

Bio: I am a senior at UMD majoring in Public Health Education and Promotion with a minor in Environment and Sustainability. I like to spend my free time outdoors whether it be taking a hike up the North Shore, playing sports with friends, or snowboarding at spirit mountain. When i’m not outdoors you can find me spending my free time cooking, watching sports, hanging out with friends or my cat Nemo.

Why sustainability is important: Sustainability is important to me because with population on the rise our planet can no longer keep up with our current demand for coal, oil, and natural gas. We must all transition to a more sustainable lifestyle to save our planet that has given so much to us. I believe that such a transition would also increase the health and happiness of individuals throughout the world.

What I do: Assist in planning and creating educational and outreach programs dealing with waste reduction.

Corey Pletsch

Background: Corey grew up in Minnetonka, MN. Frequent visits to the north shore and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area resulted in his love for the environment and for the city of Duluth. Witnessing the interactions between the environment and people led him to study Environment Sustainability and Geography. Understanding why someone wants to protect or use the environment is just as important as actually protecting that area. Interactions between every animal or organism must be taken into account before there can be long-term positive implications on our planet.

Why sustainability is important: Sustainability requires a diversified thought process. A problem is caused by more than one reason, and can be solved by combining different solution. There are many problems resulting from the human race’s ability to put one individual’s goals above everyone else. Learning to work together in order to sustain our resources for future generations is the backbone of sustainability. The ability to work alongside, instead of trying to control, nature and our environment is also important. The economical, social, political and environmental issues are all intertwined with one another and all factors must be focused on equally.

What I do: Currently conducting research on waste management, sustainability outreach and recycling habits at NRRI. This includes making the recycling program as efficient as possible, communicating with employees on any issues or ideas they have, and measuring the changes in waste output of in the building. One of the main goals is to show people how little changes in their daily habits can have massive positive effects on the environment and the surrounding communities. Another goal is to create an efficient work plan for the building that will be continually used by future students/staff. Finally, the most significant goal of mine is to show individuals the importance of using less and reducing their production of waste.

Makenzie Lamphere

Professional title: Sustainability Assistant

Bio: My name Is Makenzie Lamphere and I am a senior at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. Some of my interest are exploring new places, thinking of new creative ideas, cooking, and hanging with friends. I also have a huge heart for animals and keeping the environment clean and safe.

Why sustainability is important to me: Over the past couple years, I have grown a passion for taking care of the environment along with showing others how easy it can be. I have always been interested in air pollution and climate change as it affects both the environment and human health. My goal is to help spread to others the importance of keeping this environment clean and safe to make it better each and every day.

What I do: Assist in planning and creating educational outreach programs and events on UMD campus dealing with waste reduction.

Kasey Smith

Professional title

Sustainability and Waste Management Intern

Bio

Background: I am a senior in Public Health Education and Promotion here at UMD. Some of my favorite things are traveling, being outside, working out, and being with friends. I am from a small town called Faribault, but will be living in the cities after I graduate this spring. My favorite food is a banana and my favorite drink is green tea.

Why sustainability is important to me: Sustainability is important to me because it provides us with everyday needs. If our world keeps using and consuming without being mindful, our children and generations after that will suffer from severely polluted air, scarce water supply and more. If we can make one change at a time and educate individuals and communities to come together and make a difference I think we can help reduce and prevent future sustainability issues. One of my favorite quotes from Ghandi, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

What I do: Planning and coordinating programs dealing with waste reduction on UMD campus.

Alexis Weaver

Background: I’m a senior at UMD and in the past 3 years I have been doing various projects around UMD and Duluth promoting sustainability. I have a passion for food systems especially, and recently worked alongside the Fair Food Access Campaign in promoting better access to fresh food in low income neighborhoods. I plan on continuing this work in the years to come by joining the Peace Corps to combat food insecurity in other countries. In my free time I love to cook (and eat), do yoga, go outside, and travel.

Why I care about sustainability: My passion for sustainability started with me going vegetarian almost 8 years ago. Over the years, that passion has blossomed and transformed many aspects of my life. I live and breath sustainability because I believe it is my, and everyone else’s, responsibility to make environmental choices. Contemplating environmental sustainability raises the question of what it means to be alive. If we don’t care about our planet, our home, then what do we care about? If you look out at the mountains or Lake Superior or a quiet forest and feel a connection to something bigger than yourself then you believe in sustainability. My goal is to bring awareness to that connection.

What I do: My goal is to lead waste reduction, recycling, and composting awareness campaigns. I focus on waste reduction outreach to encourage students, faculty/staff, and campus visitors to reuse, reduce, and recycle.

Adam Dingmann

Position: Sustainability Intern

Major: Public Health Education and Promotion

Background: I grew up in a small town called Cold Spring, MN where most of my free time was spent outdoors. Some things that I enjoyed doing outside would be hunting, fishing, and playing sports with friends. Through this time spent outdoors I developed a love for out nature and habitat that only grew in my time spent in Duluth.

Why sustainability is important: There is so much that could be said with this answer it is hard to know where to begin. With my degree in Public Health I have learned how amazing people can be when they align for a common cause. Sustainability is that common cause that not only our community, State, and Country need to align to solve, but our planet. It has to be a collective effort that everyone needs to be on board for in order to preserve our planet and I would like to be a part of it any way that I can.

What I do: Through my internship with the Office of Sustainability here at UMD I have done a couple of different things. Mainly another classmate and I have worked on obtaining the information necessary to obtain a bike friendly campus designation from the League of American Bicyclist. This has been especially rewarding because of all of the support that we have received in our efforts. We have also worked to create an event that shows the documentary “Before the Flood”. This documentary talks about many aspects of climate change and what we can do as humans to prevent our planet from altering any more than it already has.

Hannah Smith

Position: Climate Change Outreach Intern (Spring 2016)

Major: Environment and Sustainability

Project: I led an effort to host a public input session at UMD about the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s prep work on the EPA’s Clean Power Plan rule. I also hosted climate change outreach events, and fostered partnerships between UMD Sustainability and Environmental programs at Fon du Lac Tribal and Community College.

Janelle Kloth

Position: Sustainability Communications Assistant

Janelle Kloth is a UMD Senior, majoring in Communications and minoring in Spanish. She grew up in Chanhassen, Minnesota but has lived in both Illinois and Wisconsin. When not working on school or in the UMD Office of Sustainability, she can be found playing basketball, attending theater, enjoying winter, reading, hanging out with friends and family, and all things Harry Potter.

Why sustainability is important: I am very excited to take on this role as the sustainability intern! I have always been keen on going green, conserving, reusing, and promoting a healthy earth. I believe I will learn a lot and in return be able to leave my mark within sustainability here at UMD!

Responsibilities: My job is to create and communicate UMD Office of Sustainability events. I am a point person for sustainability tabling, postering, and planning a wide range of events on campus. I also contribute to the UMD Sustainability website and social media platforms.

Shannon Murphy

Project: I am working on my LiNCS (Learning initiatives Needing Community Settings) project through the UMD Sustainability office. As a member of the UMD Sustainability office I will be promoting and pla0ingn events for Water Week 2016. Overall my project will raise awareness on the importance of water here on the UMD campus.

Background: Shannon is a Senior at UMD. She loves spending time outdoors, especially in the winter due to her love for snowboarding. She also enjoys cooking, painting/drawing, and spending time with her cat Lulu. Her passion is teaching others to live a healthy, happy, and fulfilling lifestyle.

Why sustainability is important: Sustainability is important to me because if we continue to live wastefully instead of resourcefully our future generations will suffer the consequences. Our planet is beautiful, let’s keep it that way!

Kyra Harty

Project: Through LiNCS (Learning initiatives Needing Community Settings) I am working with the Office of Sustainability. I will be designing a campaign to raise awareness of freshwater threats. Lake Superior is Duluth’s home! Many students and staff take our ‘big drink o’ water’ for granted and neglect water quality issues globally, in the United States, and improvements locally. Our aim is to celebrate Mother Superior and raise awareness of issues dealing with water.

Background: Kyra, a Senior studying Public Health and Art, enjoys: camping, trail running and nearly anything outdoor related. She is excited about promoting and advocating for sustainable practices, urban planning, social justice, and other outdoor activities.

Why sustainability is important: Letting people better understand that we share this space called Earth, is vital for Kyra. Protecting human roots and instilling a sense of being is found in nature. The world is in flux with many social and environmental factors in play. It is our job to improve the living quality for all and it starts with sustainability.

Abel Meseret

Background: Abel is currently a Junior at UMD, and working on his SDROP project. Abel is a graduate of Apple Valley High School and the School of Environmental Studies (SES, located next to the Minnesota Zoo). Attending SES was where Abel first learned about Environmental Sustainability and its importance. Abel’s goal is to graduate with an accounting degree and work at an environmental firm.

Project: Abel’s SDROP project is to create a non-financial report based on UMD’s sustainability data found on via STARS. Research will be conducted through the website STARS and will show how other universities are trying to be more sustainable. This report will help prioritize UMD’s sustainability efforts and can be compared to other educational institutions. This report will help determine if UMD is on the right track towards being more sustainable, and provide recommendations for future non-financial accounting measures.

Nikki Velch (Fall 2015)

Position: Sustainability Intern – Environmental Health

Major: Public Health Education and Promotion

Background: Nikki Velch is a Senior at UMD who grew up in Loretto, MN, a small town 30 minutes West of the Twin Cities. When not working on school, she loves to go on nature hikes, cook, and practice yoga. Her passion is to motivate others to live a healthy life, conserve, and reuse resources.

Why sustainability is important: Sustainability is important to me, because we only have one place to live and we are running out of resources.

Project: My project as a member of the UMD Sustainability Office is to plan the Sustainability Fair! I am very excited to bring the Duluth community together to empower people to be a part of making a positive change for this world.

Carl Berwald

Position: Student Sustainability Assistant

Majors: Political Science and German

Projects: Creating content such as web pages, blog posts, signs and anything else to help spread the word about sustainability at UMD. Specializing in public relations, outreach, and energy and transportation issues.

Why sustainability is important: Sustainability is important because we only have one earth, and we have over 7bn people. We only get one earth and we need to be able to effectively use and allocate its resources but not deplete them. Climate change is one of the most challenging and immediate problems we face as a planet, and we need to work together in order to mitigate our environmental damages and reverse ones we have already made.

Eleva Potter

Graduate Work: I worked on a collaboration between the Sustainability Office, Marshall School and the Master’s of Environmental Education program. My graduate research was around sustainability education at Environmental Learning Centers.

Where is she now? Eleva accepted a Teaching Fellow position at Conserve School in Fall of 2015.

Matt Detjen

I worked on a project that studied lighting improvements in the stairwells and hallways at NRRI. This involved moving towards more energy efficient LED lights, as well as installing motion sensors. The lights we are currently planning on switching to LED bulbs are left on both day and night, so these “ low hanging fruit” projects will provided the greatest energy savings for the institute. The project would be funded through the universities’ Revolving Green Fund, which supplies money for sustainability related projects.

Hannah Farmer

Favorite thing about working in the Sustainability Office: My favorite thing about working in the Sustainability Office was being able to help shine a light on all the sustainable movements our office has introduced to UMD. Not only did I get to think creatively on a day-to-day basis, I also got the privilege to learn something new everyday. Oh, and my coworkers were pretty awesome as well.

Why sustainability is important: Sustainability is important because the little efforts we do now can create a huge impact in the future. Many people don’t realize how easy it is to be sustainable, and I think it’s important that we educate people on the little things that they can do everyday to help facilitate a greener lifestyle.

Responsibilities: I created graphics for virtually anything and everything related to the Sustainability Office, including: posters for events, digital signage for TV displays, brochures promoting the office, motion graphics, and much more!

Where is she now? Hannah is working in Sales & Marketing for Toyota in southern California.

Chelsea Cansino

Favorite thing about working in the Sustainability Office: My favorite thing about working in the Sustainability office is becoming more educated on sustainability. Everyday I am inspired to become more sustainable for the best interest of the community and the environment.

Why is sustainability important: Sustainability is important because it affects the world that we live in. We have to be mindful of our decisions, it directly affects the environment in numerous ways. Being sustainable improves the environment and improves the amount of expenses we have.

Where is she now? Chelsea started her career in New York City, with a communications and marketing internship in 2015.

Kate Strassman

Position: Events and Outreach Assistant

Major: Environment and Sustainability

Minor: Psychology

Responsibilities: Sustainability education and outreach initiatives.

Favorite thing about working in the Sustainability Office: Being able to connect with students, faculty, and community members alike to further UMD’s efforts in reducing our environmental impact. This opportunity has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges we face in solving some of today’s most pressing environmental issues. Through campus and community outreach I hope to instill a stronger connection and awareness for sustainability among the student body. I’m enjoying the work being done at the Office of Sustainability and with my optimistic and inspirational team by my side I know UMD will be left in a better place than I had found it.

Why sustainability is important: Sustainability is important because all the choices we pursue and all the actions that we make today will affect our future. In essence, sustainability is the ability to be sustained or to endure, therefore in order to sustain our beautiful planet we need to make sound decisions at present in order to avoid limiting the choices of generations to come.

Where is she now? Kate is an Event Specialist at Camargo Events, in Cincinnati, OH.

Dan Onken

Position: Social Media Assistant

Major: Environment and Sustainability

Minor: Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Responsibilities: I manage and operate the Office’s Website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Flickr accounts. I also blog about all things sustainability, mainly focusing on campus and local issues and events.

Favorite thing about working in the Sustainability Office: Getting the chance to share and utilize the knowledge I have learned from my time at UMD has shown me just how useful and important sustainability really is. Being able to work within an office that oversees so many unique initiatives makes me feel a strong connection to my work and allows me to focus on applying sustainability to grander objectives outside the classroom. It also helps that I get to work with some really driven and creative people that truly exemplify teamwork.

Why sustainability is important: Understanding how our environment has been taken advantage of without regard for others has made me very passionate about its protection. I also am concerned about the many people lacking the resources and infrastructure to protect their communities from pollution. This has made me a very strong advocate for environmental justice. Realizing how sustainability fits into human and environmental health is the first step in addressing these challenges.

Where is he now? Dan is an Account Coordinator at Pep Promotions, in Denver, CO.

Brian Bluhm

Favorite thing about working in the Sustainability Office: Working in the Office of Sustainability provides me with the opportunity to develop my knowledge and abilities while also helping to solve some of the most profound challenges facing humanity. The university is a place where people come together to expand their knowledge and understanding of the world. I am excited to be working with passionate people to promote sustainability in such a dynamic place as UMD while also empowering students to lead more balanced lives.

Why sustainability is important: The focus on interrelationships between economics, society and environment is what makes sustainability such an important and timely topic. By learning to live in ways that promote the well-being of our economies, our people and our planet, we can ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the same (or better) quality of life that current generations enjoy!

Where is he now? Brian he has worked at Ecolibrium3 in Duluth, on energy and community sustainability issues, and is currently working on sustainability efforts on the Iron Range. He is employed by the Iron Range Partnership for Sustainability (IRPS), a non-profit organization facilitating collaboration towards a sustainable and thriving Iron Range. Brian also works for the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA) coordinating efforts to make local food more accessible and affordable for people who experience food insecurity. In addition, Brian serves on the northeast MN Regional Sustainable Development Partnership’s Food Working Group.

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Natalie Brown

Position: Sustainability Energy Outreach Assistant

Major: Environmental Studies

Minor: Geographic Information Science, Spanish

Favorite thing about working in the Sustainability Office: I enjoy working at the Sustainability Office because I know that I’m actually doing something to make a change at UMD and locally. It is excellent to have the opportunity to work with amazing, inspired people. Being able to interact with the UMD community in its efforts to become more sustainable gives me a positive outlook for the future of Duluth and the rest of the world.

Why sustainability is important: Many reasons there are so many pressing global issues, such as economic downturns in once-thriving nations, poverty, and hunger, are due largely in part to ecological deterioration. Being sustainable means happily living within one’s own means. It is not necessary to buy, buy, buy in order to be satisfied, and right now is a turning point in society to realize this. I’m excited to be part of such a revolution!

Responsibilities: Outreach efforts, such as posters, e-mails, displays, and promotional events to further engage the campus community.

Where is she now? Natalie works as a Program Coordinator at the non-profit organization Minnesota Brownfields. She also served for a year in the Minnesota GreenCorps program in Rochester, MN working on planning and promotion of sustainable transportation options.

Why sustainability is important: To Nate, sustainability is about acknowledging that everyone is a part of something greater than themselves, whether it’s the UMD campus, Duluth, or the world in its entirety. He believes that these larger systems deserve our stewardship and strives have an impact on making UMD an even greater, more sustainable campus.

Where is he now? Nate is a science writer for a pharmaceutical research company in Wisconsin.

Cody Lund (Spring 2015)

Major: Public Health Education and Promotion

Project: Increase positive recycling behaviors within UMD’s on-campus Residence Halls, by developing a program that focuses on awareness and effective communication.

Where is he now? Cody began working as an Environmental Health Specialist for Mason County Public Health, starting in August 2015, in Shelton, WA.

Megan Marren (2013)

Ashley Ellefson (2013)

Internship/Project: UMD Sustainability re-branding project, and first annual World Water Week.

Joel Welinksi

Position: Energy Engineering Assistant

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Minors: Energy Engineering and Math

Responsibilities: My job is to relate how we are being sustainable and efficient, from an engineering standpoint, to the people it affects on campus and in our community.

Favorite thing about working in the Sustainability Office: There are a lot of things that happen behind the scenes at larger colleges such as our own. My job is to help the students, staff and community become more aware of what we can do from an engineering standpoint, to better where we live. While there are a lot of physical systems working to make this school a healthy place, we are all also a part of what the University is. All of us can make choices to live healthier and conscious lives and we can start right here at UMD. Working here allows me to help the University as a whole to become a better understood and more efficient system.

Why sustainability is important: Sustainability is important because in order to be successful we must first become aware of what we can do to better our lives. Not only for the current generations, but for all of our future descendants. If we are to survive as a race we need to be very aware of how we affect our surroundings and what we can do to minimize our impact on the world.

Andrew Leider

Position: Sustainability GIS Intern

Major: Environmental Studies

Internship Project: Creating a GIS-based sustainability layer on the UMD Campus Map that identifies key sustainability features and descriptions.

Favorite thing about working in the Sustainability Office: Because this was a small 40 hour senior project, I had freedom to explore projects already in motion or bring in my own ideas. There were so many options I would have enjoyed taking on. I finally decided to consider water, bottled water and the need for water bottle filling stations in the dorms and around campus. I talked to and surveyed students about their daily water intake. I also discovered student concerns regarding access to drinking water when living in the dorms. As much as I loved my project itself, I very much enjoyed brainstorming ideas and digging into the possibilities of next steps. My intention is to continue working on these issues in some capacity while I’m at UMD. The need doesn’t end when the senior project is over. Thank you for the opportunity.

Why sustainability is important: Sustainability is important because this world, though amazing at providing us a place to live, is being taxed by our fast paced and amazing progress. The consequences of our actions as people, businesses and institutions are important to consider. We benefit by learning how we might lighten the load in what ever way we can. This is undoubtedly a complex balancing act. Sustainability is a huge interwoven and connected subject. When you look at one topic there are five other considerations that pop out that we need to consider. This shouldn’t discourage us but excite us in the discovery of how we can rise to the challenge of finding even small actions allowing us to continue appreciating all the wonderful things we are able to utilize and benefit from.

Where is she now? Judy bought a farm, Foolish Raven Farms, and is happily learning the ropes on growing local food!

Favorite thing about working in the Sustainability Office: The Office of Sustainability is committed to integrating sustainability into all aspects of campus life, and that is why I am so excited to be a part of this office. I am also gaining valuable experience in the field of energy conservation, and this will greatly help me as I look forward to finding a career. UMD has signed onto the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment and agreed to work to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions over time, eventually reaching climate neutrality, and it is great to know that the Sustainability Office and the UMD campus are so committed to sustainability and the future of our environment.

Why they believe sustainability is important: Sustainability issues are some of the most important issues facing our world today, and without a willingness to change our way of thinking concerning the environment, we may be putting ourselves and future generations in harm’s way. Practicing sustainability is the only way that we will be able to continue enjoying our natural environment for years to come. Individual behaviors, attitudes, and choices are vital components in the reduction of our energy use and carbon output, and if we each take small actions every day, the results will add up.

Where is he now? Sam is now a Product Portfolio Manager with Xcel Energy in Denver, Colorado; he manages multiple energy efficiency marketing programs for Xcel Energy’s business customers. Xcel Energy is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company with regulated operations in eight Western and Midwestern states. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Xcel Energy provides a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.4 million electricity customers and 1.9 million natural gas customers through its regulated operating companies.

Favorite thing about working in the Sustainability Office: Gaining valuable career experience working with a large variety of people on a large variety of projects to benefit the campus community; working daily to expand the definition of sustainability for myself and for campus; and working with knowledgeable, passionate people like Mindy.

Why they believe sustainability is important: Sustainability is important because, in the words of Albert Einstein, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” We are faced with heavy-hitting global issues that our generation is going to be forced to deal with- energy, water, food, etc. crises. The best way to overcome these challenges is to take a sustainability-based approach, considering economic, environmental, and social factors, in order to overcome these issues and provide future generations with a better quality of life on a healthy planet.

Where is she now? Anne is a Program Coordinator with GeoFORCE Alaska, a geoscience education outreach program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The program’s goals are to promote high school graduation in pursuit of higher education in a STEM-related field, and increase number and diversity of Alaska residents entering Alaska’s technical workforce. The program is modeled after and partners with GeoFORCE Texas, at the University of Texas at Austin. She manages the program budget, recruits students from eight villages across Alaska’s North Slope, develops and maintains relationships with program donors in the oil and gas industry, creates outreach materials, and plans and leads logistics for 10-day academy trips across Alaska and the Lower 48.

Hannah Bauer (formerly Hannah Schoof)

Position: Health Education Intern

Description: Hannah focused on an energy and greenhouse gas emission awareness program. She also developed the UMD Energy Pledge to gain commitments from students on saving energy and other resources.

Major: Health Education – Community Health

Minor: Psychology; Foreign Studies

Favorite thing about working in the Sustainability Office: The enthusiasm that Mindy has for her work.

Why I believe sustainability if important: Because we live on such an amazing planet, I believe it is important to reduce waste and use our resources wisely in order to keep our earth beautiful for as long as possible.

Where is she now? Hannah is living in Ninilchik, Alaska with her family, and is currently at home full-time with two small children.

Why I believe sustainability if important: It is the way the world will continue to thrive. The best part is that sustainability doesn’t have to been really complex to see effects. By simply turning off lights and computers at the end of the day we save large amounts of energy. The other cool part is that sustainability can be very complex and thought provoking. There are always new ways to increase sustainability and improve the current system.

Ali Naqvi

Position: Engineering Assistant

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Minor: Math

Favorite thing about working in the Sustainability Office: The fact that this is not just another job that will pay my bills and then it is history. The things I am learning through this office go way beyond the paycheck. It is redefining my lifestyle.

Why I believe sustainability is important: I think waste is nasty. Using up more resources than an individual, a firm, a city or a country needs leaves less for the others and cost of living goes up ultimately affecting everyone. Sustainable resources help offset this damage.

Responsibilities: My duties include researching on sustainable alternatives and practices and to spread awareness regarding the same through writing.

Where is he now? Ali’s education at UMD and work in sustainability helped him find a job as an engineer for a company that makes heating, ventilation, and cooling equipment. It meets his strong interest in HVAC, and making systems work most efficiently.

Favorite thing about working with Sustainability Office: Gaining a better understanding about current projects being done to make a more sustainable campus. Connecting with campus facilities and finding collaborative ways to address current sustainability issues at UMD. Working with the Sustainability Office was an amazing experience and has helped me onto my path of working towards a sustainable future.

Why Sustainability is Important: We are all part a part of our environment and every citizen is a steward. As a society we have lost our ability to listen to what the earth is telling us, whether it is something small like wild flowers blooming in a healthy forest or being able to eat fish from our lakes and rivers. With many ecosystems reaching a tipping point, it is imperative to work towards a more sustainable culture so that our children and our childrens children will be able to experience the natural wonders of the world, instead of just hearing about them in the past tense.

Where is he now? I currently work with the Watershed Stewards Project, which is a program of AmeriCorps. I am stationed at the Mid Klamath Watershed Council, a non-profit in the Klamath Mountains of Northern California. I work predominantly in watershed restoration of salmon bearing rivers and streams. During the winter I teach watershed education to local school children, grades K-8th. I spend much of my time in the field collecting data and implementing restoration projects designed by my placement site. A few examples of my work are salmon spawner surveys, off channel habitat enhancement, invasive weed control/riparian restoration, counseling for environmental education camps and creek mouth enhancement. I am very passionate about my work and have fallen in love with the sound of salmon swimming upstream. I plan on following the fish and work towards a career in fisheries biology and watershed restoration.

Evan Engman

Position: Environmental Studies Intern

Major: Environmental Studies

Project Description: Conducting a fume hood energy use study, to look for safety (ventilation effectiveness) and energy-conservation opportunities at laboratories at UMD.

Where is he now? Evan works as an Industrial Hygienist at Newport News Shipbuilding, in Newport News, Virginia.

David Rosen

Position: Transportation Intern

Project Description: David worked on the early phase of developing a bike-friendly UMD. His coordination, planning, and efforts were presented in a poster at the AASHE 2010 conference in Denver, CO. David also arranged a bike repair station at the UMD Market Day in the Plaza and presented on Bicycle Safety at multiple sustainability events.

Major: Economics

Minor: Environmental Studies

Carly Haas

Position: Health Information intern

Project Description: Carly surveyed motivations and behaviors of people who ride the elevator vs. take the stairs. She compiled her research to inform a “ Take the Stairs” campaign using the results, to help conserve energy at UMD and encourage healthy habits.

Major: Community Health Education

Bryanna Raiche

Position: Documentary Filmmaker (July 2009 – August 2010)

Major: Anthropology

Project Description: Creating a documentary film about the construction of the Bagley Outdoor Classroom. Organized a project plan for a forty-minute documentary film about the construction of a new LEED Platinum building on the University of MN, Duluth campus. Independently developed ideas for film content and layout, contacted key experts for interviews, filmed building process, conducted and filmed interviews, edited all content using Final Cut Pro, and created a final product for university use. (Contact sustain@d.umn.edu to check out the 40 minute full-length film on DVD)

Update (June 2013): Bryanna is soon finishing up two years of service in the Peace Corps, in Togo, Africa. She continues to work on video production.

Former Staff

Bryan French

Position: Sustainability Programs Coordinator

Responsibilities: My duties included managing the Bike to Campus Program, teaching a section of Sustainability Seminar, and helping deliver various sustainability programming.

Why sustainability is important: I want my kids to be able to have the opportunity to experience as much of the wonder of our planet as I have been able to experience. I believe that everyone wants to live in a world that is beautiful and clean. Helping remind folks of this is a fun and engaging challenge.